How to Set a ‘Spending Money’ Cap and Save More Every Month
There’s no right or wrong way to budget your money, just like there’s no perfect way to spend it. But, that doesn’t mean a little planning can’t help you get closer to your savings goals. If you take...
View ArticleDo You Have What It Takes to Succeed in Sales?
There are plenty of careers with a high turnover rate, but sales jobs are particularly notorious for driving people crazy then out the door. Chances are good you know someone who tried sales and...
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Eight Cheap Ways to Refresh Your Kitchen Without a Full Remodel
If you’ve been dreaming of a new kitchen but can’t stomach the thought of a pricey remodel, you’re right to worry. A 2016 analysis from Remodeling Magazine pegs the average cost of a full kitchen...
View ArticlePersonal Finance and the Paradox of Choice
A few weeks ago, I was browsing the internet when I stumbled onto a decade-old TED Talk from psychologist Barry Schwartz. The talk, aptly named The Paradox of Choice, aimed to deconstruct how much...
View ArticleHow Real People Earn a Side Income with Amazon and eBay
A few years ago, Sandy Smith of YesIAmCheap.com entered an online challenge proposed by another personal finance blogger. The contest worked like this: Each participant would invest $1,000 for the...
View ArticleSeparating Needs, Wants, and What You Really Want
While a bad economy or an especially low-paying job can make saving money infinitely harder, the formula for saving has always been the same. To save money, you need to spend less than you earn....
View ArticleFive Reasons I Love Living in Flyover Country
In February of 2015, my husband left his demanding job in a mortuary to work with me on our home-based business. All of a sudden, we went from having almost no freedom to having all the freedom in the...
View ArticleNine Easy Bean Recipes to Save Time and Money
When it comes to cheap meal staples that work for nearly any budget and dining style, it’s hard to beat beans. Whether you crave comfort food, ethnic dishes, or one-pot meals, you’ll find a ton of...
View ArticleThe Miracle Money Cure: Six Common Financial Problems a Budget Can Fix
Only a third of Americans bother to create a written or computerized budget each month, according to a 2013 Gallup poll on budgeting, the most recent available. Considering the state of personal...
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We Booked a Mediterranean Cruise — and It’s a Better Value Than You Might Think
Earlier this year, my husband and I took our two kids – ages 6 and 8 – for an extended trip through Germany, Italy, and Switzerland. Our journey was meticulously planned and lasted nearly three weeks...
View ArticleHow to Handle People Who Hate Your Frugal Lifestyle
While frugal people often get a bad rap for being “cheap,” it’s usually due to misunderstanding more than anything else. Oftentimes, non-frugal folks assume those who are more careful with their money...
View ArticleWhat I Miss Most About Overspending (and What I Don’t)
It almost seems like, overnight, I transformed from a fun 20-something to a middle-aged mom pushing 40 years old. I’m not sure I’m any more mature than I was, but I sure do have a lot more...
View ArticleUnder the Covers: Nine Money Books to Curl Up With This Fall
Now that it’s getting colder outside, you’re probably looking for some frugal ways to fill your time indoors. One of my favorite ways to kill an afternoon while learning something new is curling up on...
View ArticleWhy a High Income Doesn’t Guarantee You’ll Retire Rich
No matter how much you earn, it’s easy to assume having more money would solve your economic woes. If you could just bring home a bigger paycheck, get that big bonus or raise you’ve been after, or...
View ArticleFive Chronic Financial Problems That Money Won’t Solve
If the world and the people in it were simple and sensible, hardly anyone would struggle with money. Families with debt would take rational steps to pay it off slowly, starting with debts at the...
View ArticleFour Reasons I Would Never Buy Whole Life Insurance
Earlier this year, I did something I should have done years before – I bought another term life insurance policy to add to the coverage we already had. I’ve had life insurance since I was 25 years old,...
View ArticleMoney Mindsets to Help You Get Out of Debt
The formula for getting out of debt isn’t rocket science, right? Cut your discretionary spending, throw your newfound cash toward your debts, and slowly whittle your balances down. Eventually, you’ll...
View ArticleLast-Minute Rewards Cards to Snag for Holiday Spending
With the holiday shopping season ready to wreak havoc on your budget, it’s only natural to look for new or different ways to save. Chances are, you’re gearing up for Black Friday and Cyber Monday while...
View ArticleFive Ways the Holidays Can Burn Your Budget (and How to Avoid It)
The holidays may be a wondrous and exciting time of the year, but that doesn’t mean they’re free from pitfalls. Not only do Americans tend to eat more (and pack on weight) over the holidays, but we all...
View ArticleNot Saving Enough? The Reasons Why Might Surprise You
Year after year, studies shows that Americans are on the struggle bus when it comes to saving for, well, anything. With 2018 on the way, nothing much has changed. In 2017, more than half of all...
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